After Dry Year, Start-Ups Are Poised to Get Cash

By

Pui-Wing Tam

Updated Dec. 23, 2009 12:01 a.m. ET

After a dismal 2009, venture capitalists are preparing to ramp up their investments, injecting much-needed cash into start-ups.

Some venture-capital firms have loosened their purse strings in recent weeks and are starting to invest new money. That has resulted in several deals, such as last month's $52 million infusion into social-networking advertising and software company RockYou Inc. and the $57 million invested in online...